Hi guys,
It is almost 2 months now , since Alitalia lost my baggage & activated their so-called WORLDWIDE Tracking system.As of now I have not received any
intimation about my baggage. I tried contacting them a thousand times, left a lot
of messages(at their voicemail) , but till today no one has bothered to call me.All calls
to Customer-Relations regarding Baggage claims is directed to an answering machine
(905-673-2442-2), which no one has answered till date from OCT. 20.2004(Date when my baggage was lost).
This is a request from me to all of you ,

\" THINK TWICE , YESTERDAY IT WAS ME ,
TOMORROW IT COULD BE YOU \"
If their so-called WORLDWIDE Tracking system could'nt trace my baggage in 2 months , then there is definitely something wrong with their SYSTEM.




Imagine yourself having to face temperatures of -12deg -------
1. without any winter clothing , and
2. in an alien country with limited funds and

3. all because of an Airline which offers CHEAP
TICKETS.



Below is an article from a prominient newspaper (name withheld for obvious
reasons) regarding Baggage handling by Alitalia----------------------



Complaints mushroom over airports in Milan and Rome

MILAN Ask any frequent flier to Italy about travel confusion and be prepared for
epic narrations making Ulysses' travels to the peninsula seem like a stroll in
the park.
.
Recently, complaints have targeted Italy's two principal hubs - Rome's Leonardo
da Vinci airport at Fiumicino and Milan's Malpensa airport, which together
account for more than 60 percent of Italy's air traffic - and in particular
their baggage-handling services.
.
\"This year has been dramatic with respect to past years,\" said Vincenzo Donvito,
the president of ADUC, a consumers rights group. \"We've had twice as many
complaints.\" To him, the Fiumicino airport is \"the hub from hell.\"
.
Telefono Blu, an advocacy group for Italian passengers, reported that over the
summer it had received at least 6,000 complaints about lost or delayed luggage,
nearly two-thirds of them during the peak period from July 20 to Aug. 20. Of the
complaints, 21 percent referred to Fiumicino and 22 percent to Malpensa.
.
Just last month, the Milan hub dismissed 18 of 29 baggage handlers arrested in
August after closed-circuit cameras had recorded employees breaking into
suitcases in the airport's cargo area and then auctioning off pilfered goods.
(The other 11 handlers had resigned.)


I REPEAT \" THINK TWICE, BEFORE YOU BOARD ALITALIA \"






I went to their office at Airport Road for some immediate assisstance
but I was not allowed to go beyond the reception because I did'nt have
an appointment.
I rang up their Manager a couple of times & told her my whole story.She always asks me to talk to Customer Relations & transfers
my call to the answering machine(no. given above).
When I ring her up again to tell her no one is answering the call, she
herself is connected to an answering machine WHICH MEANS that she
was expecting my call.

Tell me what can a new immigrant do in such circumstances ?


I have DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE to prove everything



The only positive thing which these people have done is that they
have acknowledged that they have lost my baggage and sent me a
letter on their letterhead

THANKS GUYS! I AM SERIOUSLY THINKING OF LEGAL ACTION.

WILL KEEP U POSTED.

I flew Alitalia many years back and at that time their service was pretty good.
They weren't a particularly cheap airline either - certainly not like the "discount" airlines.

Regarding the lost baggage, I think all airlines have been guilty of this some time or the other.
I have heard different people complain about different airlines - nightmares similar to yours.
I have heard the same things about Lufthansa, Air France, BA, and so on.

So I think losing baggage and treating passengers like dirt may be "standard practice" in the airline industry

You may already know this, but they were supposed to give you accomodation and money for clothes during the time your luggage is not found.
If it is never found, you are entitled to compensation.

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"Mah deah, there is much more money to be made in the destruction of civilization than in building it up."

-- Rhett Butler in "Gone with the Wind"

I flew Alitalia last year via Milan and although their service wasn't exceptional, it was allright. Never had any issues.

Like Pratick pointed out, each one of us has gone through this luggage-losing horror one or the other time. With me, it was on AF. Although, I did get my bag back in a 4 days after some screaming.

If they didn't get back to you for 2 months, that's really pathetic. Did they provide any temporary compensation for the lost luggage? They're supposed to so that you can buy some basic stuff while they look for your luggage.

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Are you there?

I have flown frequently between India and U.S and inter U.S flights. The first thing you need to do when you realize that they have lost your baggage is to ask them for an mandatory allowance. This allowance varies between domestic and international flights and is staggered. They will give you an X amount of money the first day which will be enough to take care of a pair of clothing and toileterries. Ususally around 50$. After this, they are required to deliver your baggage with in a few days. The policy is mentioned in the tickets.

Have you checked the airline policy on baggage misplacement? Did you ask them for the allowance? Also, I believe there should be a mention of the regulatory agency who makes these rules for airlines. Their information should be mentioned in the ticket somewhere or on the airline website.

Try contacting the agency and lodge a complaint. Also, if they havent provided you your luggage after two months, it is already excessive amount of time and you will not find your baggage. Even if you do, the airline cannot expect you to buy the replacement. So inform them in writing,.

You might also want to talk to a lawyer and sue thier ass. You may not only get damages but also penalities. Usually in such cases the lawyer wont charge you anything until he wins an award and would have a percentage in it.

Quote:

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Orginally posted by newkidontheblock
You might also want to talk to a lawyer and sue thier ass. You may not only get damages but also penalities. Usually in such cases the lawyer wont charge you anything until he wins an award and would have a percentage in it.

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Try overtaking child's imagination

Veerappan,

Don't keep editing your post everyday. I've noticed you've done that a couple of time without changing content.

If you have something new to add, do a NEW REPLY.

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Are you there?

Dear Moderator,
I keep editing the earlier article so it remains on top and it
attracts the attention of the 11992 members.

BECAUSE I SINCERELY DO NOT WANT ANYONE ELSE TO UNDERGO THE

MISERY AND SUFFERING I AM UNDERGOING RIGHT NOW.